A Smokey Interlude
by Scarlet Secret
Summary: Two years into the war Cora and the girls eavesdrop on the staff, with some illuminating results.


A/N: I own nothing. Another entry for Bex's Birthday Bonanza of Ficcage. Again, not slash...I feel something must be done about this in another fic.

A Smokey Interlude

"Sybil, what on earth do you think you're doing?"

It was a fairly pointless question really as Mary could see quite plainly that her youngest sister had also reached for the cigarette packet that she'd been in the process of handing to Edith.

"I'm nearly twenty Mary." She replied drily. Sometimes she thought that her sisters really were unaware of the passing of time.

Edith sniggered and lit her own, passing the match immediately to Sybil rather than Mary. She turned away and sat on the bench. They had snuck out through the servant's quarters without even Mrs Hughes' sharp eyes clocking them in the afternoon sunshine. It seemed so wrong to Edith that the sun should be shining so brightly here and she wondered if it was the same in France.

Two years now and nothing had changed. The war had raged on, hundreds of thousands had died but so far Downton had been incredibly lucky. The three sisters sat in silence as had become their habit of late, their melancholic thoughts blending together as their individual streams of smoke did.

They had to hide here of course, it wouldn't do for Mama to find them, and of course there were the servants themselves. The housemaids held no fear for them but they had all grown up underneath Mrs Hughes' watchful eye, hearing Miss O'Brien's sharp tongue and finding Mrs Patmore's judgement more damning than their own Mother's.

As it was, when they were eventually discovered they were almost glad it was their Mama.

"What on earth do you three think you're doing?"

Edith couldn't help it, she immediately began to giggle and she was soon followed by Sybil. Both of them had been saying for years that Mary was rapidly becoming their mother and from Mary's current sullen expression it was clear she was thinking the same thing.

"I hope you'll all be suitably amused when-"

They heard shouts and footsteps coming from inside the house and the girls immediately panicked and threw away their cigarettes. Cora grabbed hold of Sybil and Mary quickly and beckoned Edith to follow.

Later on Cora had absolutely no idea what possessed her to do it. If they'd just stayed where they were they could have just said 'Good afternoon' to their staff and then been on their merry way but no, she had to do things the hard way. And so it was that the Countess of Grantham and her three daughters found themselves hidden behind a shed, so as not to be found by their _servants_.

They heard some rustling but no voices. A strike of a match but still nothing, then more footsteps.

"Have you seen Mrs Hughes?"

_Anna._

"No thank Christ! I've not stopped all mornin', the last thing I need is 'er interrupting me fag."

Miss O'Brien. Mary felt her Mama shuffle uncomfortably next to her and guessed that Miss O'Brien was speaking the truth and she had in fact been working her maid hard all morning.

They heard the bench squeak as someone sat on it.

"Well if you're having a break I'm at least going to rest me feet for a moment. I've been running round trying to find her for the last half an hour."

"Why?"

Another squeak on the bench.

"Daisy's had a letter."

There was silence. The Countess and her children looked at each other in confusion.

"I see. Is he…?"

"We don't know. She won't open it till we're all around. She reckons it'll have news of Thomas and Branson too but she's scared in case…"

"Well we'll all be there then won't we."

There was another brief silence, during which Sybil tried to compose her face as best she could, before two more voices cut across.

"Oh, 'm sorry to interrupt you Miss O'Brien, but have you seen…?"

"No Daisy, I've not seen 'er. Come and sit down for a bit, she'll turn up eventually."

"Daisy! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sorry Mrs Patmore but-"

"It's alright Mrs Patmore, Daisy's been 'aving a bit of trouble findin' Mrs Hughes, so I said she could 'ave a sit down for a spell."

There was squeak as the obviously heavier cook sat on the bench followed by Daisy making much less noise.

"Well in that case I'll have one of them if you don't mind Miss O'Brien? If we all start having a good time no doubt she'll appear like a wicked fairy."

There was a laugh that undoubtedly came from O'Brien followed by another match.

"Have you opened you letter yet Daisy?" Anna asked kindly.

"No, I want you all to be around. I thought you'd all like to know and that."

"We do Daisy but only if you promise to just read it normally and not witter on in one of your flights on fancy."

"Yes Mrs Patmore. Miss O'Brien? I don't suppose…"

"What? You don't want a fag an' all do ya? It was bad enough having that daft footman pinchin' 'em but at least he used to give me some back occasionally."

"No! No, nothing like that. I just wondered if…well…"

"Spit it out girl, Miss O'Brien's not got all day, she's 'er ladyship to see to."

"Daisy's more important at the minute." She monotoned, truthfully.

Behind the shed Cora bristled at being considered less important than the scullery maid, but the three girls smothered their giggles. Edith in particular felt for the first time that she might actually like O'Brien as she herself had experience dealing with Daisy's temperament.

"What were you wonderin'?"

"Whether her ladyship might have said something. Only his lordship might know what's happenin' to the men might'nt he? And he might have told her."

There was silence and Cora felt a pang of sympathy for the young girl so eager to hear about the man she loved. At least she knew Robert was somewhat safe, sat at a desk a mile behind the front line.

"I'll ask her tonight if you like."

"She won't mind?"

"Course she won't."

There was a silence as both the staff, and indeed the hiding women, digested that Miss O'Brien had just said something that could almost be considered kind. The moment was interrupted by a sharp voice.

"I didn't realise the yard had become a smoking den. Was I to be informed?"

The hiding women heard two pairs of feet hit the ground immediately as their owners stood up.

"Something wrong with your feet Miss O'Brien?"

"Only that I've been on 'em all day Mrs Hughes."

The girls couldn't help but find O'Brien amusing and Cora spared a smile for her maid's irrepressible spirit.

"You're not the only one. I've been looking for her ladyship and the girls for a quarter of an hour but can't find hide nor hair of any of them. Either they've all vanished into thin air or one of them's finally mastered the car and they're in town."

The staff all seemed to snigger at this and Cora felt a sight stab of indignation. Sybil was getting better everyday and she herself could at least start the thing now.

"Daisy's been waiting for us all to be together so she can open a letter Mrs Hughes. Oh, do you want my seat?"

"That's very kind of you Anna but I think if I sit down I won't get back up! Well go on then Daisy, open this letter."

There was a rustle and despite themselves the four hidden women leant forward eagerly to hear.

"Well! For god sake girl go on and read it to us, unless there's something improper in there?"

O'Brien snorted.

"From William. Don't be daft, he could barely spell the word let alone write about it."

"Daisy, is something wrong my dear?"

"Oh! No…well, yes I suppose."

"He's not?"

"What? Oh no! He's not dead. He's been injured though. Nothing too seriously they're saying but…oh my god! They're bringing him back to England to recover!"

All of the women started muttering at once about that. Cora could just about pick up the occasional phrase – "best out of it", "daft bastard probably stood on a bayonet", "where's he been taken".

"Oh my god! Do you think I'll be able to go and see him? It'd be so romantic seeing him on his sickbed!"

"God sake…"

"That's enough Miss O'Brien. Now Daisy don't go getting your hopes up, you don't know where he's going yet do you? Let me see that…no, it doesn't say. It could be miles away, her ladyship might not be able to spare you-"

"She will."

"Oh, as well as being her lady's maid you're now her spokeswomen are you Miss O'Brien?"

"No. But don't you worry Daisy, she will. I'll explain it to 'er and she'll let yer go. She'd got a good heart."

Cora smiled warmly at her maid's praise.

"Underneath all those bloody beads and feathers."

The girls couldn't help themselves and nearly collapsed in a fit of giggles again.

"I never thought I'd say this Sarah O'Brien, but I think I might say the same about you, underneath the sharp tongue."

"With due respect Mrs Hughes...beggar off."

Four peals of laughter sounded from the other side of the shed. Cora wondered how long they were likely to sit there; just how long _did _the servant's take breaks for?

The staff were silent for a moment and Cora was half-tempted to just leave their hiding place, for goodness sake she was the lady of this house and could hide behind as many sheds as she damn well pleased! What could they say about her behaviour, or indeed that of her daughters?

Finally, after holding her breath for what seemed hours she heard Mrs Hughes speak.

"Right then, I've allowed you all a longer break than usual-"

"I think you'll find Mrs Hughes that Daisy is under my jurisdiction and-"

"Yes, thank you Mrs Patmore, I am quite aware of that, but you both need to see to dinner I believe, or else they'll be eating air whenever they decide to appear."

Two sets of feet hit the ground and shuffled across the path, Mrs Hughes muttering all the way things that Cora thought she'd probably prefer not to hear.

"Anna, there's a tear in Lady Sybil's gown that isn't going to mend itself."

"Yes Mrs Hughes."

Another set of feet scuffed across the ground.

"Miss O'Brien-"

"I know, I know, I'm goin'. She's got to be somewhere around an' no doubt she's broken a nail by now an' needs me."

"Actually Miss O'Brien, I was hoping to have a quick word with you," there was a pause during which Cora could practically _feel_ Mrs Hughes' eyebrow lifting. "I'll ignore your comments on her ladyship."

Cora wasn't sure whether she should be indignant over this. She herself was somewhat less than amused about O'Brien's assessment of her capabilities, although she had to concede that she had in fact once rang her maid to bring her a nail file, but the fact that Mrs Hughes, who she employed to make sure mutiny was suppressed, was letting it slide, irked her.

"Oh…I'll 'ave another cigarette then, whilst we're here."

There was silence for a moment and the women wondered whether either of the servants were ever going to speak. Cora racked her brains – in the ten years she had employed both women had she _ever _seen any camaraderie between them? Were they friends? Based on O'Brien's comments over the years she doubted it.

"It's about her ladyship."

Cora stood up straighter, aware that her daughters were all looking at her but determined to keep her face neutral throughout whatever she was about to hear.

"She's fine."

"She needs to know Miss O'Brien."

Cora furrowed her brow, unable to stop herself leaning closer to edge of their hiding spot.

"She probably already does."

"Oh, that's nonsense and you know it! If she knew she'd have mentioned it to_ you_ by now and we both know she hasn't."

"She doesn't tell me everything."

"Now I know you're being ridiculous. You've been in service as long as I have Miss O'Brien and we both of us know that they don't have to _tell_ us things for us to know them."

There was a silence during which Cora and the girls couldn't know that O'Brien nodded in acquiescence, although all four of them were oddly perturbed by the idea of the servants understanding them so well. Cora in particular wondered how much she had inadvertently told O'Brien over the years just through body language.

"Will you tell her?"

"What would be the point? It's was only a stupid infection and Mr Bates says 'e's already loads better."

"She has to know, it's not our place to keep things from her."

"And it's not our place to tell 'er things 'is lordship wants kept from 'er!"

"He must have known that Bates would write to Anna and it would get to the rest of the house though?"

"Maybe 'e thinks Anna's keeping it all a secret, 'e don't know that you've changed yer mind about them courtin' after all?"

"I don't rightly know that I have."

O'Brien snorted with disdainful amusement.

"Like you could stop them at this point Mrs Hughes."

"I am not here to discuss Anna and Mr Bates, I want you to tell her ladyship."

"Why does it 'ave to be me? Anna got the letter-"

"Anna doesn't have her ladyship's ear."

"Why don't you do it then?"

Mrs Hughes sighed and Cora had the sense that this display of difficulty was not unusual.

"Oh for god's sake, this is ridiculous. I am _telling _you to make sure her ladyship is aware-"

"That 'er 'usband was ill and didn't want 'er to know? She'll be upset and 'e'll 'ave my job if 'e ever finds out! What's the point in stirring?"

Mrs Hughes let out a short, humourless laugh.

"I thought _stirring _was what you did best Miss O'Brien?"

There was silence after that and the sisters were sure Mrs Hughes must have hit a long sore nerve. Cora barely heard anything – she was consumed with the secret that had been kept away from her. Robert hadn't wanted her to know he was ill. He was such a _fool._ Did he think she would break down immediately? She was stronger than he thought and after she had written him a long, loving letter she was going to post script it with a chastisement that would make sure he never did it again.

"If 'e wanted her to know, 'e can quite easily tell 'er ladyship 'imself. We're not their postal service y'know."

They heard Mrs Hughes heave a sigh.

"Just do it Miss O'Brien. For god's sake, just do it."

They heard footsteps as the older woman hurried away and then silence as O'Brien sat alone. The four women shuffled from one foot to the next, waiting for a sign that the lady's maid had gone, however, when nothing immediately came they grew anxious. Was it O'Brien's custom to wait here until she heard Cora's bell going? If that was the case they could be stood her for an age!

Cora breathed heavily, consumed with the thought of what had been kept from her and trying to decide who she was angriest at: Robert for not writing to her in the first place, or O'Brien for not immediately telling her. The two people she trusted most in the world were conspiring with the entire household it seemed to make sure any potentially upsetting news was kept from her. Cora would have almost thought it touching but for the fact that she was a Countess nearing fifty, not a child who needed coddling from the horrors of the world. Did the whole house honestly think she was that useless? She glanced at the girls and wondered how much news of the war reached them that might have been kept away from her by supposedly loyal servants who were worried about her having a nervous breakdown, or whatever ridiculous reason O'Brien was going to concoct when Cora confronted her with it later as she planned to.

Mary would be receiving news from Matthew – Cora was not privy to these letters of course - but she had never imagined they contained actual information about the war, she's thought they would be letters between lovers and little more. Had Mary known about Robert's illness? The current Earl and his heir were not stationed far from each other after all.

And what about Sybil? She received the occasional letter back from the front, a meagre amount compared to the bags full and she seemed to send herself. Sybil had argued that there were too many young men on the front who were lonely and frightened and perhaps a letter from a young lady might cheer them up? Cora had found this quite acceptable and still did, but how much information was she getting? And Cora was not stupid enough to have missed that the majority of the letters were in the same hand. O'Brien had at least told her _that_.

What _was _the woman doing anyway? Cora frowned slightly and tried to look around the corner of the shed – how long did it take to smoke a cigarette anyway? She saw O'Brien, standing now and smiling rather triumphantly as she met Cora's gaze without any surprise whatsoever.

"We're you looking for me m'lady?"

Meekly Cora came out from her hiding place, being utterly perplexed when O'Brien smiled further and inclined her head.

"Are the young ladies planning to stop round there m'lady?"

Duly chastised the girls followed their Mama, just as confused.

"How…?"

O'Brien nodded in understanding and gestured with her cigarette towards the ground where they had dropped their own cigarettes. The penny still didn't drop.

"No one else smokes, m'lady," she addressed the Countess before turning her gaze on the girls. "And I can't afford them."

Mary raised her eyebrow in amusement, Edith turned her face down to hide her grin and Sybil spoke with the mild outraged confusion that someone of her class might approach the question.

"Why can't you afford them O'Brien? They're really not very expensive."

Cora rolled her eyes and raised a hand to silence any possible reply.

"I really don't think that's the point Sybil. Girls, all of you go inside. Sybil, make sure Anna knows which gown you need mending. Mary, please find Mrs Hughes and tell her we haven't gone missing. And Edith, if you could find that girl, Daisy?" She looked to O'Brien for confirmation and received a nod. "And tell her I'll make all the arrangements for her to visit William."

The girls duly scurried off and Cora closed her eyes in silent prayer before turning back to her maid.

"You should have told me about his lordship's illness O'Brien."

Her maid's smile vanished as Cora had anticipated it would but she couldn't ignore the feelings that had gone into O'Brien's decision to keep it from her. She sighed and walked closer, plucking the cigarette from O'Brien's fingers with a long-suffering smile.

"But I do appreciate the sentiment."

O'Brien smiled back and nodded slightly, the only sign Cora expected she would receive that her maid was pleased with herself. She only hoped O'Brien got the hint not to do it again. She took a deep drag herself and coughed – it had been so long since she had first arrived in England and had Rosamund offering her cigarettes before Robert put a stop to it. O'Brien immediately took the thing back and tossed it away, reaching up a hand to idly rub Cora's back.

"We don't want you getting ill m'lady," as Cora regained her composure O'Brien smirked again. "I doubt Mr Bates would be as discreet keeping the information from his lordship and –"

"The last thing he needs is to worry about me. I know. Thank you O'Brien. Shall we go inside? I must say I'm intrigued what Mrs Hughes has been trying to tell me for…what was it? A quarter of an hour?" She smirked back in solidarity. "For that length of time it must be urgent."

Together they headed back inside the house, through the servant's hall, scaring the remaining yard boys and a junior maid Cora thought she had heard speak once.

The day needed to go on and it could not do so without any of them.


End file.
